


worth a thousand words

by orphan_account



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-04
Updated: 2016-04-04
Packaged: 2018-05-31 04:06:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,413
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6455002
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Akaashi's encounter in the library that led to him hating his job just that little bit less.</p>
            </blockquote>





	worth a thousand words

**Author's Note:**

> edit: i've made this fic into a standalone oops

Akaashi had only partially agreed to take up the job as a part-time librarian. He was pretty sure the official librarian had only asked him because he spent most nights tucked away into the corner, reading books of all different genres. Fantasy was a particular favourite of his; he liked the divergence from reality and the way anything was possible within it.

Having the chance to read when he wasn't busy with the responsibilities that a librarian had didn't quite equate to his reasons for visiting, but when she had asked him a piece of paper, with his possible future schedule written, was clutched in her left hand. Her right one was gesturing rather wildly in front of his face as she explained how _suited_ he was to the job.

Fukurodani University was one of the more prestigious universities within Tokyo which meant the institution was filled with budding sports figures from different corners of Japan. There were plenty of guys that fit the 'jock' stereotype; macho guys who were invested in maintaining their well-built physique, guys that were popular with the girls and boys as well as those that attended parties almost every other night and got drunk of their assess.

Despite this, there were still the students that attended this particular universities for other reasons such as the state-of-the-art science equipments within the range of laboratories, the mass amount of classic literature that could be found within the library and the overall freedom that each student that attended Fukurodani felt with all of the courses available.

Akaashi was apart of the small group of people that didn't get in on a sports scholarship or came here to be able to prosper in their future careers. He was majoring in fine arts and applied at the university for two reasons. The first one being it was the closest one to his home that met the standards he was looking for and two, there were many opportunities for him to improve his current abilities and increase his current range of skills.

In contrast to the sportsmen who were boisterous to say the least, he was far less energetic and tended to be quieter than most people he knew or encountered on a daily basis. They were a few of the traits he sometimes wished he could change in order to become more social, but they were also parts of his personality that people, namely his friends, liked about him.

In a nutshell, Akaashi wasn't entirely sure he could keep some of the more _colourful_ characters in check if they were ever in a situation where they were becoming a distraction to those around them. Many jocks defied the stereotype that they didn't care about anything except sports because of the minor courses they took to add diversity to their studies.

They might have actually cared about their education outsides of the sport they were scholaring in, but that didn't mean they didn't leave all the essays and assignments they had to complete to the last minute. Akaashi could pinpoint exactly when a deadline was, thanks to the large groups of people clad in their sports uniform sitting down at a free table with stressed expressions.

A rejection was on the tip of his tongue and he was going to let Hana down gently, regardless of what she was saying. So it surprised him when a resigned 'yes came out of his mouth in the form of a sigh. The woman in front of him smiled and more or less shoved the his new timetable into his hand before she walked back to her desk, leaving a regretful second year in her wake.

* * *

It had been a slow, quiet day so far and Akaashi thanked any deity that was listening for it. He had been up late last night, hurrying to add the final pieces to his project that was due in a few days time. Normally, he wasn't one to rush around a day or two before it was meant to be completed, but he had to restart the whole thing after a very unfortunate incident involving coffee and exhaustion.

Akaashi had finished all of his main responsibilities like putting back all of the books that had been checked out back into their rightful places on the shelves, and was now playing on his phone. He was in the middle of sending a text to Kenma, one of the friends he'd made in his last year of high school. Kenma was majoring in computer programming and wanted to become a well-known game developer in the future.

[To: Kenma]

_How's your day been?_

There was a few minutes in between the other boy's response and Akaashi used the time to glance around the current occupant of the library. Most of them were either falling asleep, had actually fallen asleep or were staring at their notes like they were written in Latin. Backwards.

[From: Kenma]

_ok, you?_

 He stared at the reply for a few seconds, stifling a yawn that was long overdue.

[To: Kenma]

_Fine, thanks for asking. Just a little tired though._

'A little tired' was an understatement, but he didn't want to worry his friend. Kenma was the type of person that knew if you were pushing yourself too hard or if you were doing work when you were supposed to be sleeping.

[From: Kenma]

 _you need to sleep_   _keiji_

Akaashi smiled at Kenma's concern and took his advice into consideration, especially once he finished his shift. His thumbs had started to type out 'I will', but he was interrupted by a commotion at the door. Great, he thought as he put his phone down to assess the situation. As suspected, there were a group of 5 or so boys walking out of the door and up to the desk.

This was going to be interesting.

Pushing the pen forward so they could write their names down, he looked at each one carefully. The first man, Daichi Sawamura as he had wrote down, looked sensible enough. There was a certain aura surrounding him that screamed leader, so hopefully he wouldn't be the one that had to tell them to be quiet or to calm down if they ever got too hyper, which judging by the noise they made when they first came in would be more than likely.

Daichi flashed him a polite smile as he made his way over to the first free table he saw. Next up was Kuroo Tetsurou and for some reason, he immediately felt a little uneasy being so close to him. He wrote rather slowly and once he was done, cat eyes bore into his and winked at him. Akaashi just blinked at the gesture and watched as he slinked away to join his friend with a smirk carved onto his face.

As soon as Kuroo was out of the way, the next one rushed forward and grabbed the pen with a little too much enthusiasm. When Akaashi looked down to read the name that had been noted down, he found that he could just barely make out the name of it. He had half a mind to ask Bokuto to write it again, but he didn't get the chance before Bokuto spoke up.

"Bokuto Koutarou," He greeted as he flashed a big smile, golden eyes blinking owlishly. Akaashi took a few seconds to look over the energetic student's face and then nodded in acknowledgment. This answer wasn't what Bokuto was hoping for apparently, and his face fell and he shuffled dejectedly over to the table. 

Akaashi scrunched his face up in confusion for a few seconds, but turned his expression into a more neutral one. There was a laugh coming from the person who was behind Bokuto and he lifted his head to see who was making the noise. The student was Oikawa Tooru as he'd soon find, though he was pretty sure he had heard that name before, namely from lovestruck girls who hoped Oikawa would date them.

The tall boy's laugh seemed to be childish in a way that Akaashi presumed he was making fun of Bokuto. He would have been curious and a little concerned if he wasn't aware that they had came into the library as a group, but they had so he had to assume that they were friends and it was just harmless teasing. In the event that it wasn't and Oikawa was actually being mean, he could probably rely on the last person of the boys, who looked irritated at his behaviour, to stop him.

"Trashykawa. I'd like to sit down today you know," He grunted, twisting his face in annoyance at Oikawa's flouderence. In lieu of moving, he turned his head so he was facing the man behind him. Said man looked even more exasperated at the change of direction, much to his friend's (?) delight.

"Good things come to those who wait, Iwa-chan," Oikawa cooed, smiling languidly and joined the group of friends, who were already sat down, in a few long strides. In contrast to his carefree attitude, 'Iwa-chan' looked like he wanted to punch him and walk away which, to be fair, Akaashi would have wanted to do as well if the roles were reversed. He smiled apologetically at Iwaizumi as he dropped the pen and reluctantly followed in Oikawa's footsteps.

Absentmindedly, Akaashi looked at the new additions to the sign-in sheet. He briefly wondered if the atmosphere was going to be the same as it had been before all 5 of them had walked in, but something deep inside of him told him that he shouldn't be getting his hopes up. The way Kuroo was barely holding it what looked like it would be a loud laugh only accompanied the prediction.

* * *

 

"Daichi. Hey Daichi. I need to tell you something. _Dadchi._ " 

Akaashi could feel his eye twitch, but he forced himself to remain calm. After the first few times, when he kept glaring at the group to get them to quieten down to no avail, he'd risen the level of noise that could be allowed before he would have to actually go over there and tell them to keep the noise down or they would have to leave. Certain individuals had come close the limit, however Daichi had always told them to _shut the hell up_ like he was currently doing now.

There was a small groan in protest before the guy, Bokuto, stopped his incessant chattering. Much better. Refocusing his attention onto the page he was currently on, Akaashi continued to read in hopes there would be no more interruptions. Of course, luck had never been on his side. Not as a child or anytime through growing up, he only seemed to have shitty luck.

"Excuse me?," Oikawa called out way too loudly to belong in a library. Akaashi put the book down with a little more force than necessary and promptly stood up, walking around the desk and over to him. He took his time though and his speed resembled that of someone who had no real destination in mind- a leisurely stroll, if you will.

By the time he had arrived, 5 sets of eyes were on him with varying degrees of interest in them. He ignored him and looked at the supposed student in need pointedly. "You needed something?" Akaashi was many things, but he wasn't rude and his parents didn't raise him without manners so his uttered his question in a polite way because Akaashi was a nice, polite person.

Oikawa's eyes flashed in a way that indicated he had just thought of something amusing, the meant-to-be innocent smile that played upon his lips being another give away. "It's Tetsu-chan. He needs a book." Akaashi watched as Kuroo whipped his head towards his friend and a look of disbelief settled onto his face, looking at Oikawa like he had just said something much worse.

"Is that so?" He asked for clarification because if Kuroo's reaction was anything to go by then he wasn't entirely convinced he actually needed anything, much less a book. Said man turned to face him with an exasperated expression, confirming Akaashi's theory by nodding his head _no_. Glad we got that covered, he thought before he made to turn back to his own seat.

"Actually, I think Bo over here needs something, urgently. It's very important, you see." Once again he turned around, almost rolling his eyes at the mischievous smirk Kuroo had developed in the last few moments. This time his eyes fell to Bokuto and tried to plead him to say something so he could leave, but to no avail. He was just staring back and forth between the guy on his left and Akaashi with an expression of betrayal, like he couldn't believe he just did that.

"Bro why did you do that?" Oh, there it is. In his honest opinion, he didn't really see what was wrong with what Kuroo had said. If he really did need something-which probably wasn't the case, but still-then it was better for Akaashi that he'd been asked now and not when he was a few words in page 135. And yet, as the seconds passed by and everything was silent apart from Daichi's long sigh, it looked like it was an Oikawa 2.0.

"Bokuto-san?" He encouraged in an attempt to shake him out of his reverie and get at least a sentence from him while they were still young and actually in university. Bokuto's head snapped towards him and he started to nod vigorously, but not a single word escaped his mouth. It was times like these that Akaashi was glad he was a patient person because otherwise, he would have ignored him altogether and left him hanging.

"Your number," Bokuto blurted out, eyes widening when he realized what he had just said much to the amusement of Oikawa and Kuroo. Akaashi, for some reason or another, felt his cheeks heat up a little at his forwardness, but raised an eyebrow nonetheless in lieu of speaking the questions that were circulating through his mind. _Why do you want it? How did you ask me so quickly? Why couldn't you have just asked? Why do I suddenly find you a little good-looking?_  

"I mean, if you want to. You don't have to it's just I think you're really pretty and nice and I really want to get to know you. But if you don't want to get to know me, it's cool. All good. I'd understand," He rambled with his eyes looking everywhere but Akaashi's face as he continued with his speech. Akaashi noticed the top of his ears turning red and the way Bokuto started to shout towards the end.

"Please be quiet Bokuto-san. You're in a library." Bokuto looked up and he looked disheartened reminding him that instead of accepting or rejecting his request, he had pushed it to one side and basically told him to shut up. Taking into consideration the way his spirits dampened when Akaashi hadn't replied to his personal introduction and the way he currently looked like a kicked puppy because his confession had been deflected, Akaashi could infer that Bokuto was the type of person whose moods could change at the smallest of incidents.

With a sigh, he made his decision and waited until Bokuto was staring at him again to tell him what his answer was. "If I give you my number, will you and your friends please get on with your work? I'm sure you're very busy." The speed it took for a wide smile to appear on Bokuto's face and his depressive attitude to disappear was impressive, honestly. 

"Of course we will! Right guys?" There were no responses, but Bokuto must have took that as a yes because his golden eyes were saying 'See?' when they made eye contact once again. Akaashi nodded half-heartedly and reached over the table for some scrap paper and a pen, pausing slightly when saw a few sentences written onto one sheet. Dragging it over, he ignored Bokuto's embarrassed squawks and read it regardless.

 _he's so pretty!! I think I'm in looovee_  (♡∀♡)

_you have known him for half an hour. you haven't even talked to him you can't love him what is this_

_dadchi sh_

_he's right bo he probably doesn't even like you. did you see the way he glared at you when you were walking away? it was cold man_

_noo you're lying bro he totally liked me. he nodded when i told him my name and im telling you he smiled. my heart almost couldnt take it._

_kou-chan he definitely likes you. when i told iwa-chan my name he just stared at me and walked away and look where we are now °˖✧◝(⁰▿⁰)◜✧˖°_

_omg it's fate!!_

_stop using those emoticons shittykawa i told you they're ugly._

_mean iwa-chan :( kou-chan used one_

_he doesn't send them all the time  like some idiot i know._

(/□＼*)・゜

Akaashi took his eyes of the  _interesting_ conversation and looked and everyone sat at the table. Iwaizumi looked like he was trying to keep calm, probably because of Oikawa besides him who had an arm around his shoulder and whistling in a way that tried to show everyone he had no idea what was going on. Bokuto had was lying face down on the table unmoving whilst Kuroo was patting his back and wearing a clear smirk. Looking like he was done with the people he called his friends, Daichi was shaking his head slightly as he pinched his nose.

"May I borrow a pen?" Instead of questioning the written conversation he had just read, he just ignored it all together lest Bokuto would lie there and not move until he was forced to. He didn't really mind; he preferred happy, energetic Bokuto as opposed to moping, moody Bokuto even if he had only known him for little more than half an hour, like who he guessed was Daichi had pointed out.

No response came from man in question so he turned to direct his attention on the other 4 who sat at the table. It was Oikawa, surprisingly enough, who pushed a pen towards him. It was green with little alien heads printed onto the tub and a silicone spaceship attached to a spring on the end of it, and Akaashi had a feeling it was one of his favourites. Thanking him, he wrote his phone number in the corner of the page signed with his initials and a little owl that he had no idea why he drew.

"Bro. You've got his number," Kuroo muttered, flicking Bokuto's ear to get his attention. It worked-he lifted his head to glare at Kuroo while rubbing his ear-and he squinted at the paper skeptically like the whole thing could've been a trap. Akaashi silently enjoyed the way his eyes lit up when he noticed the 11 numbers that had, in fact, been written down.

"There's an owl! He drew an owl!" Bokuto exclaimed as he lifted the paper up and held it close to his eyes, letting out a little hoot in what Akaashi guessed was excitement. At the discovery that he must have been a fan of the birds of prey, he mentally congratulated himself for electing to include the doodle and drawing this reaction from him. It wasn't a hard choice since he also found owls rather cute and majestic at the same time.

"Bokuto-san did you know your name means horned owl?" Bokuto obviously didn't know, he concluded, as he noticed his whole demeanor changed to one of someone who had just found out they won the lottery, nerfed by about 20%. To Akaashi, it was pretty, dare he say it, adorable, but to the others it was something they've seen plenty of times before and it had gotten annoying the second time round.

"Bokuto. You already know this. Stop acting like it's the first time you've been told  _every_ single time," Daichi complained, having removed the hand that was touching his nose and was now dragging it down his face tiredly. Iwaizumi soon followed his lead and nodded, peering at Bokuto cautiously like he was a bomb capable of going off any second now..

On the other hand, Kuroo was waggling his eyebrows as he exchanged smiles with Oikawa, who was winking exaggeratedly back at him. Simultaneously, their arm closest to Bokuto lifted and dropped down onto his back, stopping him in his tracks. Bokuto grunted at the pain and glared at the perpetrators, who held up a thumb each in response. Akaashi couldn't stop the laugh that fell from his lips, dragging Bokuto's attention to the source of the noise.

Hands immediately covered his mouth and he looked away in embarrassment at the fact he'd laughed so freely. He'd been hiding his laugh with the back of his hand since high school and it had become a habitual thing to him no Bokuto was evidently opposed to this though, Akaashi noted as he watched him frown at his hand like it had deeply offended his great ancestors 

"Akaashi! Your smile is nice, why do you cover it?" He whined, lips turning into a pout as he watched the first year expectantly. If he's looking for a proper answer, then he's asking in the wrong place. Akaashi could barely summarize his reasoning in his own head, nethermind saying them out loud and to someone who probably wouldn't understand in the first place.

With a small shrug, Akaashi mumbled "habit" and Bokuto must have been sharper than he first appeared as he dropped the subject altogether and turned towards Oikawa to start a new conversation. He thanked him mentally and quickly straightened up upon realizing he was still in a library. _The_ library, where he works part-time. So if he wanted to keep his current position and not be called a slacker by other people, he'd best be getting back to his station.

"Excuse me. I have to get back. You'll do your work right, Bokuto-san?" Akaashi enquired and smiled contently when Bokuto nodded hard and turned down to his paper, scribbling something down fairly quickly. It probably looked like his writing when he had signed in and if the hunch turned out to be correct, he couldn't help but wonder what kind of grades he got.

It only took around 15 minutes of studying before Bokuto caved in and texted Akaashi in an attempt to find another source of entertaining. When he had looked over a few minutes ago, Bokuto's companions looked hard at work and immensely focused in what they were doing, even Oikawa. They must be pretty busy, he mused, before unlocking his phone and reading the multiple unread messages.

[From: unknown number]

_hey hey hey akaashi!!_

Akaashi gave a small smile at both the greeting and the obvious enthusiasm that had been translated into text and saved the number under 'Bokuto'. He then looked over the other two messages which were the man saying about how 'serious everyone was being' and that 'it was no fun at all :('. Akaashi pondered on possible reasons why the man wasn't currently like his friends: neck-deep in their papers.

[To:Bokuto]

_How come you're not busy Bokuto-san?_

The reply followed a few seconds after he hit sent.

[From: Bokuto]

 _i've already done it_ (＾▽＾)

Akaashi eyes was secretly surprised because Bokuto didn't really look or act-for the short time he'd been around him-like the person that would be up to date or even early when it came to work.

[To: Bokuto]

_I'm impressed._

[From: Bokuto]

｡◕‿◕｡

* * *

 All 5 left an hour before the end of Akaashi's shift with little commotion, much to his relief. Bokuto had seemed sad to leave, but with the promise that he would text him later he soon perked up. Daichi, bless him, came up to the desk and apologized for his group's behaviour and promised it wouldn't be happening again with a quick pointed look at Kuroo, Bokuto and Oikawa.

Akaashi told him that it was okay and that he didn't really mind it. It was a half-lie, but it didn't matter because something good had came out of the whole ordeal; giving Bokuto his phone number. They had text each other until Bokuto realized hadn't finished his work and rushed to do so, leaving Akaashi to look on at him in amusement. Apart from the panicked noises he made upon the realization, it was quite endearing.

He particularly liked the way Bokuto stuck his tongue out in concentration when he pulled back to see what he had wrote and what he should do next. The owl pencil case Bokuto had pulled from his bag was quite appealing also, and Akaashi's current page hadn't been turned while he took in the two. Even though today was their first meeting, it seemed so  _Bokuto_ and he was unable to view him without a new found fondness.

It turned out that he didn't need to worry about his quick attachment however as a few weeks later, Bokuto had inadvertently asked him out on a date.

"Akaashi," Bokuto asked one day during one of Akaashi's shifts. He was sorting through the books that had been returned that day and changing the online database so it was up to date accompanied by his companion's constant conversation, which was usually filled with questions like if he ever got bored or not and what days he had off. Akaashi had told him-the weekend and Wednesdays-and when questioned, Bokuto had shrugged and deflected the question with shrug.

"Yes, Bokuto-san?" He replied, pausing from his work to face the older man. He was sporting the type of grin that meant he was up to something and Akaashi wanted to find out what he was up to sooner rather than later.

"Are you a library book?

"No, what-?"

"Cause I want to take you out."

Akaashi blinked once, twice and focused his attention back onto Bokuto. Did he just use a library pun? Judging by the self-inflicted amusement he was expressing, he most certainly did. 

"Okay?"

"Tomorrow at 2. It's a Wednesday, right?" He never got the chance to say anything before Bokuto walked out, but he saw the happiness on his face when he left and suddenly he didn't mind.

A few seconds passed.

"Did he just ask me on a date?"

(He did.)

A couple of seconds went by.

"Does that mean we're dating?"

(They were.)

**Author's Note:**

> "I should've brought my library card 'cause I wanna check you out."
> 
> "Bokuto we're _married._ "
> 
> hope you enjoyed kids ((:


End file.
